Donor PUBLICITY STUNT???: Well … below are the donor totals through 9/30/2019 from the SC Department of Revenue that we were able to obtain because Jeff Davis (the target of anonymous and defamatory political email attacks) filed a FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT lawsuit against the SC Department of Revenue. Probably why these email attacks started up on 9/25/2019, but more on that later.
And the DONATIONS are worse than ANYONE could have expected …. and explains why (not so) Exceptional SC leadership REFUSED to tell school leaders how much had been raised.
But instead of #FireChadConnelly doing something to fix this (if he is even capable … which we doubt) …. Chad was hanging out at the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans this month doing “political” stuff WHEN HE SHOULD BE RAISING FUNDS FOR YOUR CHILD’S SCHOLARSHIP HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA!!!
And instead of addressing the DATA BREACH …. on Friday (not so) Exceptional SC sent out a CELEBRATORY email promoting a $100,000 donation from C. Dan Adams.
Our question …. #1 WHY DID C. DAN ADAMS NOT DONATE EARLIER IN THE YEAR (or did he, and this is just a “stunt”?) …. and #2 WHO IS C.DAN ADAMS????
Normally praising donors is a good thing …. and we would not call it out … but C. Dan Adams is no ordinary donor …. and in fact, his organization was a major cause of this DEBACLE!!!!
And WORST of all as it applies to this program … C. Dan Adams organization …. Palmetto Promise Institute … was intimately involved in this 2016 GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER of the scholarship program.
REMEMBER … it was C. DAN ADAMS’ PALMETTO PROMISE INSTITUTE that said this GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER would make the program BIGGER. BETTER. FASTER. #MAJORFAIL!!! Palmetto Promise Institute has removed that failed “Legislative Analysis” from their website … but we have a copy. Click image below.
We exposed these legal violations by the (not so) Exceptional SC Board in February 2020 … raised the ALARM that Chad Connelly was lining his pockets with scholarship funds intended for YOUR CHILDREN … and we now finally have the confirmation of what happened.
We sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the SC Department of Revenue and they provided us with this MEMO from Director Hartley Powell.
It clearly states the LAW …. and confirms that the (not so) Exceptional SC Board was violating the LAW.
Seven days latter … this “resignation” email was sent out by Board Chairman Tom Persons.
We will continue to track and PUSH this issue such that the “misappropriated” money is RETURNED … and the GUILTY PARTIES (which includes the entire BOARD of Exceptional SC) are held accountable.
Well, the legislators leading this fiasco showed their agenda AGAIN last week … and it is NOT ABOUT KIDS!!!
What did they do???
They “rewarded” the (not so) Exceptional SC Board with a QUADRUPLED INCREASE in their Administrative Fees …
And worse … they are removing the LEGISLATIVE APPOINTMENT language so the BOARD WILL BE PERMANENT … and legislators will be able to say “there is nothing we can do”?!?!?!
It is getting to a BREAKING POINT … they are getting DESPERATE … and this bill is perfect evidence of that desperation!!!
And if you think that is all bad … this is a FIRST IN THE NATION …
… they want the SC Department of Education to “donate” $12 MILLION to (not so) Exceptional SC. SAY WHAT???
Read it … it is right there in the title of the bill (picture up top) … or read the bill here
Insanity!!! Another square peg in a round hole. ANYTHING except what every other state does …
It is personal folks … and these legislators care more about their personal vendettas and their “monied” SPECIAL INTEREST supporters … than they do about YOUR KIDS!!!
Well, we are getting reports from parents and school officials that the checks that are going out are approximately 20% of tuition.
Why would (not so) Exceptional SC not tell parents how much specifically they were receiving … or even generally how much … we can only speculate … but we are hearing the amounts are approximately 20%.
The home stretch of the 2020-2021 school year is here … the promised funding is not … there is not even a plan in place on what to expect …. other than the pitiful 20% no communications whatsoever!!! Politics over children … AGAIN?
We offered a solution … to raise the full 2020 $12 million by 12/31 …. and next year’s $12 million in early January 2021. That was $24 MILLION by 1/31/2021!!! Well … they knew better … NOT!
Yet YOU lost $7.5 MILLION in 2019 … $8 MILLION in 2020 … and with the current fundraising pace … YOU will lose even more in 2021.